Page 123 of All of Me

Brooke grins, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “That’s the dream.”

The coffee in my cup has gone cold, but I barely notice. The easy, caffeine-fueled chaos of earlier has settled into something quieter now, a comfortable stillness between the three of us. The din of the café hums around us—murmured conversations, the hiss of the espresso machine, the occasional clink of a spoon against ceramic—but here at our little corner table, it feels like we’re in our own world.

I hesitate for a moment, then glance between Taylor and Brooke, my fingers tracing the rim of my mug. “There’s something that’s been on my mind,” I admit, my voice softer now. “I’ve been thinking about Katie.”

Taylor’s brows knit together. “Katie?” She pauses, realization settling in. “Oh. Adam’s ex?”

Brooke tilts her head. “She’s due soon, isn’t she?”

I nod. “I think so. I don’t know the exact date, but it has to be close.”

Taylor leans forward, resting her arms on the table. “Have you heard from her?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Not since she wrote that letter saying she and Adam had broken up.” I let out a slow breath. “That was months ago. It just feels… weird. Like, she’s about to have a baby, and there’s been nothing. No updates, no word at all.”

Brooke exhales, drumming her fingers against her coffee cup. “That is a long time. And with everything she was dealing with before…” She trails off, shaking her head.

“I know she doesn’t owe me anything,” I continue, my words a little unsteady now, “but it’s just—hard. My girls are going to have a sibling out there, and they might never even get to meet them. How do I explain that to them one day? That they have a brother or sister we know nothing about?”

Taylor’s expression softens. “That’s what’s really getting to you, isn’t it?”

I nod, swallowing against the tightness creeping up my throat. “Yeah. And I keep thinking… what if she’s doing this completely alone? I don’t know if she has anyone supporting her through this. I don’t know if she’s okay.” I exhale sharply, rubbing my hands together. “I hated being pregnant and feeling isolated, and I wasn’t alone. I had Owen. I had you guys. But what if she doesn’t have that? What if she’s struggling?”

Brooke leans back in her chair, crossing her arms. “I hate to say it, but some people just shut down when they’re going through something hard. Maybe she has people in her corner, but she doesn’t want to involve you in it.”

Taylor nods. “And if that’s the case, then what? Are you thinking about reaching out?”

I hesitate, pressing my lips together. “I don’t even know how I would get in touch with her. It’s not like we were ever close. I don’t have her number. I don’t even know if she’s still in the area.”

Taylor tilts her head thoughtfully. “She probably has mutual friends with me. I could ask around if you want me to.”

I glance up at her, torn. “I don’t know,” I admit. “I don’t even know what I’d say if I did get in contact with her. Realistically, whatever’s going on with her isn’t really my business.” I pause, running a hand through my hair. “But then I see the girls with Barrett, and I watch them laughing and playing together, and I can’t help but wonder. What if they got to meet their little sibling someday? What if that’s something they’d want?”

Brooke exhales. “Yeah, but it kind of is your business, in a roundabout way. You share kids with Adam, and this baby is going to be their sibling. It’s not like you’re some nosy stranger trying to dig up gossip.”

Taylor nods. “Exactly. If you want me to see what I can find out, just say the word.”

I let out a slow breath, the weight of it all pressing down on me. “I don’t know,” I say again. “I guess I just needed to say it out loud.”

Brooke reaches across the table, her fingers curling briefly around mine. “And we’re here to listen. Even if we don’t have the answers.”

Taylor gives me a small, knowing smile. “Especially when we don’t have the answers.”

I huff out a quiet laugh, though my chest still feels a little heavy. But it’s a weight I don’t have to carry alone.

I glance at the time on my phone and sigh, stretching my arms before reaching for my coat. “I should probably get going,” I say, gathering my things. “Owen’s finally home for more than five minutes, and I promised I wouldn’t be out too late.”

Brooke smirks, taking a final sip of her coffee. “Ah, yes, can’t keep the man waiting.”

Taylor rolls her eyes but smiles. “Tell him we said hi. And remind him that if he disappears into another work project for two weeks, we will be staging an intervention.”

I laugh, standing up and slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Noted. Thanks for letting me unload all my thoughts tonight. I needed that.”

Brooke bumps her shoulder against mine as she stands. “Anytime. I live for emotional chaos. It fuels me.”

Taylor snorts. “That and an alarming amount of caramel macchiatos.”

Brooke gasps dramatically. “How dare you call me out like that? This is slander.”

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